Tomorrow our eldest child turns thirteen. She is a delight to be with and a dear friend to each one of us. Recently B6 asked L12 and I, “How come you two are such buds?” I am sure there are many reasons, but I am just overwhelmingly glad that we are. We talk, we laugh, we dream, we scheme, we shop( during which time we don’t always agree, but we do both have good taste!) we read, then discuss and revisit our favourite parts, sometimes we cry, we pray, we create, we enjoy each others’ company.
A couple of weekends ago L12 went camping with friends for the weekend. I missed having her around but the thing which struck me most was that there wasn’t her singing floating through the house. When she returned her little sniffle had turned into a full blown head cold and there was no singing for several more days. It just wasn’t the same. Her friends have been known to look at her in amazement and say,” Don’t you ever stop singing?” I hope she doesn’t.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise. Ps 84:4
Happy Birthday, dear Miss L.
Sentient 
We add our best birthday greetings to dear Miss L on her special day. We have very fond memories of sharing the celebration last year and would have great joy in doing so again.
As I read a mother’s tribute to the special friendship, it is plain to see that much of that flows from the same deep relationship that H has enjoyed with her mother R since a very early age. All those activities listed – talking and laughing, dreaming and scheming, sharing ideas on books and films, crying, creating and praying – all except singing together have been part of the mother and daughter relationship for 40+ years. That all explains why H and family are missed so much.
Last year for a few precious weeks we saw that that relationship can also flow across several generations as R sat with L and A and B. I saw the same between R and her mother and, from what I hear, it was also a very precious gift between R and her nanna. It is not new although, sadly, it is not found in every family, but when it is, how precious it is and how greatly it is to be valued as God’s gift. So I recall Paul’s words to his dear young friend Timothy (2 Timothy 1: 3-7, and especially verse 5),
“That precious memory triggers another; your honest faith – and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you!” (Peterson: The Message)
So we join the family in saying and praying, “Happy birthday, dear Miss L”
ND
HAPPY HAPPY DAY MISS L. WE HAVE WISHED YOU BIRTHDAY WISHES ALL DAY, BUT EACH TIME WE WANTED TO CALL TO WISH YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN PERSON, IT SEEMED THE WRONG TIME. HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT DAY AT THE POOL – PERFECT DAY FOR THAT. WE MISS YOU HERE AND WE MISS HEARING YOU AS WELL. H HAS TAKEN UP THE CAUSE OF HUMMING AND SINGING SOME LOVELY TUNES AROUND THE COTTAGE THIS WEEK. WHAT A LOVELY INFLUENCE YOU HAD BIRTHDAY GIRL.
WE HOPE AND PRAY FOR YOU ALL OF GOD’S RICHEST BLESSINGS L NOT ONLY TODAY OF COURSE, BUT EACH AND EVERY DAY OF THIS COMING YEAR. WE KNOW HIS FACE SHINES UPON YOU AND WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE JOY YOU MUST BRING OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IF YOU CAN BRING YOUR EARTHLY FRIENDS AS MUCH JOY AS YOU DO.
LOVE,
YOUR “LAKER” FAMILY!!
MRS. L, MR. L (IN ABSTENTIA), P AND H – AND OF COURSE H AND J, AUNT AND UNCLE T TOO.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU